Machine for forming stoppers from pulp fiber.



' No. 831,278. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

. R. w. GOEB.

MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS PROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19.1906.

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R. W. GOEB. MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-19. 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m'l/wss-es; W 27% K @ZMM PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906. R. W. GOEB. MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APB.19.1906.

8 SHEETSSHBET 3.

rinhm' PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

R. W. GOEB. MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19..1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.7 av m \Wx \w wis PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906. v R. W; GOEB. MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-19.1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5 v v m I? u El Q Znwg ' Eadaaiz 14/ 62965. M m

PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

\ R. W. GOEB.

MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPBRS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-19.1906.

8 SHEETSSHEET 6.

WW/Ngg M x \m PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

R. W. GOEB. MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-19. 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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No. 831,278. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

R. w. GOEB. MACHINE FOR FORMING STOPPERS FROM PULP FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19.1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

To all whom, it mag concern:

inuT n s rnrns nernnr orrron.

RUDOLPH W. GOEB, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED l STATES FIBRE STOPPER COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A

CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. is, 1906.

Application filed April 19, 1906. Serial No. 312,646.

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH W. GoEB, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Forming Stoppers from Pulp Fiber, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. '1. Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken at approximately the center of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the trap which receives the water from the turret-dies. Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken adjacent the center of the machine. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the die which forces the pulp fiber into the tapered cylindrical dies of the turret. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail front elevation showing the turn-table andits support in section. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view showing some of theparts in Fig. 7 in a different position. Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, showing the concaved side dies and their actuating mechanism, a portion of the top plate of the frame of the machine being broken away to showthepawland-ratchet mechanism which imparts rotary movement to the turn-table. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view showing the concaved dies and also the dies which first action the pulp fiber. Fig. 11 is-a detail sectional view of one of the concaved dies. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a portion of the rim of the .turret, showing a completed stopper inone of the dies of said rim.: Fig. 13 is a detail view. showing principally the mechanism for actuating the turret. zontal sectional View of aportion of the turret, taken on .the line 1414 of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a front elevation of the turret and the locking-dog for holding same at rest. Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the valve carried by the turret and its cooperating valve-seat, and Fig. 17 is a front elevation of said valve-seat.

This invention relates to molding-machines, and particularly to machines for molding Fig. 14 is an enlarged horipulp fiber into the form of stoppers to be used for bottle-closures or for similar purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of simple construction inwhich stoppers can be made quickly and perfectly from pulp-waternamely, water having a certain percentage of pulp fiber mixed therewith.

In the machine herein shown, which represents the preferred form of my invention, receptacles are provided for'receiving predetermined quantities of pulp-water from the sup ply-tank and carrying it into position to be acted on by pressing-dies, said receptacles being so constructed that most of the .water drains away from the pulp fiber during the time the receptacle is traveling from the storage-tank to the pressing-dies. After the pulp fiber has been pressed by the pressingdies it is acted upon by molding-dies, which form it into a solid cylindrical block, and this block is then forced into a tapered cylindrical die, which molds the pulp fiber into the form of a stopper. formed in a movable member which ,is'pro- This tapered cylindrical die-is vided with aplurality of such dies and the stoppers remain in said member for an extended period of time, thus giving the pulp fiber time to set. Some water remains in the pulp fiber after it leaves the receptacle which carries it into position to be acted upon bythe pressing-dies, and for extracting this wa ter I prefer to subject the fiber to air pressure and to a vacuum while it is being acted upon by the several dies referred to. While the stoppers are in the tapered cylindrical dies of the movable member they are sub-I jected to a vacuum, and asthe stoppers remain in said movable member for some time the extraction of all the water therefrom is insured, automatic means being provided for ejecting the completed stoppers from the dies of said movable member.

While the machine herein shown and described represents the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that my invention is not limited to the details of construction of this machine, and various changes and arrangements of the elementstherem could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, which repre sent the preferred form of my invention, 1 designates the frame of the-machinewhich.

ing t ebottoms of the buckets from pieces of supports a tank 2, in which the pulp-water is contained, said tank being provided with an agitator 3. Y A device 4 is provided for measuring the pulp water into predetermined quantities and for controlling its flow from ter is discharged from the measuring device through a s out 5 into' buckets 63, mounted on a turn-ta le-7, said turn-table being carried bya vertical shaft 8, provided at its lower end'with a ratchet 9, as shown in Fig. 7. The

buckets are provided with arms 10, that are oscillatingly mounted on horizontal studshafts- 11, carried by the turn-table, and one arm of each bucket is provided with a plurality of teeth 12, which at certain periods of the machines cycle of operations cooperate with a vertically-reciprocating rack-bar 13, that imparts an oscillating movement to the buckets to dump the contents thereof.

The buckets are so constructed that the water will drain away from the pulp fiber, and referably this is accomplished by formscreening 14. Openings 15 are formed in the turn-table at the points where the buckets rest, and the track or support 16, upon which the turn-table travels, is formed hollow,as shown in Fig. 7, to receive the water which drains from the pulp fiber in the buckets. A waste-pipe 17 communicates with the interior of said support to carry away the water therefrom. Preferably the turn-table is provided with four buckets; but it is obvious that this number could be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I The mechanism for imparting a rotary movement to the table consists of a lever 18, loosely mounted on the turn-table shaft below the ratchet 9 and provided with a pawl 19, which cooperates with the teeth of said ratchet, as shown in Fig. 9. The lever 18 is main shaft 25. normally in engagement with the ratchet 9 actuated by means of a link 20, connected at its rear end to a rock-lever 21, fulcrumed ona stationary shaft 22 at the rear of the machine, said rock-lever being provided with a roll 23, which travels ina cam-groove formed in oneface of a cam-block 24, carried by the The pawl on lev'er 18 is held by a spring 26, and retrograde movement of said ratchet and the turn-table is prevented by means of a spring-actuated dog 27, which cooperates with said ratchet, an adjustable stop 19 preventing the pawl from overthrowing. Accordingly as the main shaft of the machine revolves the turn-table will be rotated intermittently, and thus carry the buckets from the point A, Where they are filled, to the point B, where they are dumped,-

this being indicated in Fig. 2, which shows one of the'buckets dumped. As the turn-table completes three-quarters'of a revolution ver being actuated by a link 29, connected at its rear end to a rock-lever 30, having a roll 31, which travels in a groove formed in the other side face of the cam-block 24. As a bucket is dumped the contents thereof drops into an open-ended trough formed by guideways 32, carried bythe top-plate 33, forming part of the frame of the machine and having a plunger 34 reciprocatingly mounted therein. At the front of the machine is a rotatably mount ed turret 35, carried'by a shaft 36. Said tur ret is of substantially skeleton form, comprising a hub and a rim 37, which closesthe front end of the trough into which the contents of the buckets are dumped, as shown .in Fig. 3. A plurality of tapered cylindrical recesses acting as dies are formed in the rim of said turret, and intermediate these dies are solid portions which cooperate with the plunger 34 to compress the pulp fiber as said plunger moves forwardly after the contents of a bucket has been dumped int-o the trough.

Cooperating with the plunger and the solid face of the rim of the turret is a verticallymovable die 38 and concaved face side dies 58, and when said cooperating members are brought together the pulp fiber will be molded into the form of a rectangular block having rounded ends, said block being thereafter .molded into the form of a cylindrical block by the side dies 58, and this cylindrical block being then forced into the tapered cylindrical dies in the rim of theturret to form a stopper of the form shown in Fig. 12. Reciprocating movement is imparted to the plunger 34 by means of a link 39, connected at one end to the plunger and at its rear end to a lever 40 of substantially yoke form and pivoted to a stationary support 41, carried by the top plate of the frame of the machine. Said lever 40 is provided with an irregularly-shaped slot 42, into which a pin 43 projects from a link 44, oonnected to the upper end of a rock-lever 45, mounted on the shaft 22 at therear of the loo IIO

machine, and provided with a roll 46, which an arm 48, pivotally connected at 49 to a'stationary support 50, said arm being provided with an adjustable'stop 48. A lever 51, pivroll traveling in a groove 56, formed in a cam- 1 block 57,

mounted on the main shaft, the movement of the lever 54 operating to rock the arm 48 for raising and lowering the die 38.

The dies 58 which convert the rectangular shaped block of pulp fiber into the form of a cylindrical block are mounted in guideways 59 at the front end of the trough in which the plunger 34 operates, said dies having concave faces, as shown in Fig. 10, which are provided with perforations for a purpose hereinafter described. Each die carries an adjustable stop 60 and is pivotally cpnnected, by means of a link, to a lever 61, and said levers are actuated to move the dies toward and from each other by a double toggle consisting of links 62, connected to the rear ends of said levers and also pivotally connected to a cross-head 63, carried by a vertical stud-shaft 64, journaled in the top plate 33 of the frame of the machine and provided at its lower end with a rockarm 65, having one end of a link 66 connected thereto, the rear end ofsaid link being connected to a rock-lever roll which travels in a groove 68, formed in the other side face of the cam-block 47, as shown in Fig. 3. After the pulp fiber has been molded by the concaved dies 58 into the form of a solid cylindrical block said block is forced from said dies into one of the tapered cylindrical dies formed in the rim of the turret, said turret having been previously rotated slightly to bring said tapered die into alinement with the concaved side dies.

The means for forcing the cylindrical fiberblock into the tapered die of the turret con-' sists of a die 69, reciprocatingly mounted in the plunger 34 and having a collar 70 fastened thereto, which is connected to the link 44, that aetuates the lever40. The turret 35 is provided with a notched ring 71, and a bellcrank lever 72, which is loosely mounted on the shaft 36, that carries the turret, has a spring-actuated pawl 73, which engages one of the notches in said ring, and imparts a rotary movement to the turret whenever said lever is actuated. The short arm 74 of said bellcrank lever is connected, by means of a link 75, to the front end of a-lever 76, mounted on the horizontally-extending shaft 55 and provided at its rear end with a roll which travels in a groove formed in a cam-block 57, whereby said bell-crank lever 72 is rocked intermittently to impart a step-by-step movement to tlieturret, For holding the turret securely in' position while the cylindrical fiber-block is being forced into one of the tapered cylindrical dies therein to form a stopa cam-face 67, provided with aper I prefer to provide a locking-dog 77,

comparatively deep notches which engages that is fastened to the turret.

78 in the ring Said locking-dog is of substantially bellcrank-lever form, as shown in Fig. 15, and its long arm 79 is provided at its outer end with 80, that is engaged by a roll 81 on the long arm of the bellcrank lever 72 when ever said lever moves backwardly its full stroke to cause its pawl to engage one of the deep parting movement to the turret, said roll operating to lock said locking-dog 77 and free it from engagement with the deep notch in the ring 71. The ring 71 is also provided with shallow notches 82, having rounded corners, and the locking-dog 77 is adapted to cooperate with these notches to hold the turret at rest while the solid portions of its rim are cooperating with the plunger 34 to mold the pulp fiber into a rectangular block. The turret is rotated twice at each cycle of operations of the machine, first, to bring a solid portion of its rim into position to cooperate with the plunger and then to bring one of the tapered cylindrical dies into position to have the cylindrical block of fiber forced therein, the cam-groove which causes movement to be imparted to the bell-crank lever 72 being so formed that said lever is moved forwardly for a short distance, then stopped, and thereafter moved forwardly the remainder of its stroke. The stopper 83, which has been formed by forcing the pulp fiber into the tapered cylindrical die in the turret, remains in said die during the time the turret is making practically threequarters of a revolution,

' and then said stop er is automatically ejected by means of a p unger 84, which forms the bottom of the tapered cylindrical die. Said plungers are reciprocatingly mounted in the rim of the turret, and each is provided with a roll 85, which comes into engagement with a cam-face on the stationary block 86, that imparts a rearward reciprocating movement to said plunger to force the completed stopper from the tapered die in the turret, as

notches in the ring preparatory to imshown in Fig. 14, said stopper dropping into v the discharge-chute 87. Said roll then comes into engagement with the second cam-face 88 on said block, which imparts a reciprocating movement to the plunger in the reverse direction and restores it to normal position.

Although a eat deal of water is drained from the pulp fiber during the time the buckets are traveling from their receiving position into their dumping position, some water still remains in the fiber, and it is necessary to extract this water during the process of forming the stopper. I prefer to do this by means of an air-vacuum and an airressure while the fiber is being acted on by t e plunger 34 and the other molding-dies. 1

The die 69, which is mounted in the plunger 34, is hollow, as shown in Fig. 6, and its front and the tube 91 to cause ,a prolonged blast of.

1 drical block, said pulp fiber is subjected to an -trap 98, a

end is, formed by a piece of screening 89, the end of said die normally extending flush with the engaging face of the plunger 34, so that said piece of screening forms a portion of the engaging face of the plunger and accordingly is in contact with the pulp fiber while it is being molded irito the form of arectangular block. A tube of small diameter is located in the hollow die 69, and air-pressure is supplied to the tube 90 through a flexible tube 91, communicating with a port in a stationary valveseat, with which cooperates a valve 92' of substantially the construction shown inmy prior United States Patent,No. 801,659,so thatadetailed description and illustration of the same is not deemed necessary. The valve-seat is provided with a second port, and positive airpressure is supplied to this port by means of a pipe 93. Fig. 1, is splined to the main shaft of the machine and is provided on its inner face with an elongated recess which during the rotation of the valve comes into alinement with the two ports in the valve-seat, and thus establishes communication between the pipe 93 air to pass through the tube 90, located in-' side of the hollow die. The blast of air passing through said tube, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, meets an obstructionnamely,' the pulp fiber against which the screening 89.

pressesand consequently forces the water out of the pulp fiber through the hollow die: 69, the pulp fiber being prevented from passing away with the water by means of the piece of screening, the waste water draining away from the hollow die through a dischargetube 94. 1

During the time the rectangular block of pulp fiber is being acted upon by the dies 58, which mold it intothe form of a cylin-- air-vacuum, which further draws the water therefrom, this being accom lished by forming a large recess in each'o the dies 58, as shown in Fig. 11, and aslot 95 in the bottom of the die communicating with said recess and registering with the end of a pipe 96, in which a vacuum is created. The'pipes 96 for each of the dies 58 are connected to a flexible tube 97, which communicates with a pipe 99 leading from this trap and communicating with a port in the valve-seat, with which the valve 92 cooperates. Said valve-seat is provided with a second port, with which a vacuum-pipe 100 communicates, and the valve 92 is provided on its inner face with a second elongated recess, which intermittently registers with said two ports to cause a vacuum to be created in the pipes 96 for drawing the water away from the pulp fiber through the perforations in the dies 53 during the time said dies are molding the fiber, the vacuum being discontinued before The valve 92, which is shown in the cylindrical block of fiber is forced out of 6 5 said dies.

After the concave erforated dies have moved together the ho low die 69 is moved forwardly to force the cylindrical block of fiber from said dies 58 into one of the tapered 7o said die normally extends flush with the en- 75 gaging face of staid plunger. The camgroove,-which roe s the lever 45, that actuates the link 44,'is so formed that it Willrock said lever into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and then-remain at rest for a 80 short period While the dies 58 are movin together and then rock said lever 45 still farther to cause the hollow die 69 to force the cylindrical blockof fiber into one of the dies of the turret. The movement of the 85 "hollow die relatively to the plunger 34 is accomplished'by forming the slot in the lever 40 with a straight portion, as shown in Fig. 3, so that when the pin 43 on the link 44 comes into the straightportion .of the slot no go movementwill be impartedto the lever 40. While the stoppers are in the dies of the turret, they are subjected to a vacuum, and as each stopper remains in the turret during the time that it is traveling practically three- 5 quarters of a revolution every particle of water is drawn. out of the pulp fiber from which the sto per is formed, and sufficient time is allowed for the fiber to set. This is accomplished by forming the plunger 84 hol 10o low, as shown in Fig. 14, and having its end covered bya piece of screening 101, which forms the bottom of the tapered cylindrical die in the turret. A tube 102 is connected to the front end of each of the plungers, and the other ends of said tubes communicate with ports 103 inavalve 104, that rotates with the turret. A valve-seat105 is mounted on the shaft 36, which carries the turret; but

said valve-seat is prevented from rotating 11(- with the turret, said seat bein held yieldingly in engagement with its valve by means of a spring 106, carried by the j ournalbearing 107 for the front end of the turret-shaft.

(See Fig. 16.) -The valve seat 105 is ron5 vided on its inner face with a long curve recess 108 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 17) and with a short recess 109. (Also shown in dotted lines in said figure. Inlet-openings 110 and 111 are formed in the valve-seat, 12c

communicating, respectively, with said recesses, and a tube 112 extends into the open ing 110 and a tube 113 into the opening 111. The tube 112 communicates with the interior of a trap 114 at the right-hand side of the 1 2 5 machine, said trap being shown in detail in Fig.4, and a tube 115, leadingfrom anairvacuum, also communicates with the interior of said trap, thereby producing a vacuum in the tube 112.

When the turret arrives in position to place one of its tapered cylindrical dies in alinement with the die 69, which forces the pulp fiber into said die, the port 103 in the valve 104, whichcorresponds with said tapered die, will register with the upper end of the recess 108 on the inner face of the valveseat 105, so that a vacuum will be created in the plunger 84, which forms the bottom of said tapered die, and thus draw the water down into the trap 11 1. Sa1d ort remains in register with said recess unti just the turret reaches the position at which the roll of said plunger 84 comes into engagement with the cam-face on the block 86, which causes said plunger to move rearwardly to eject the stopper out of said die into the discharge-chute, and as soon as said port passes out of communication with the recess 108 it passes into register with the recess 109 in the valve-seat 105. The pipe 113, which communicates with the recess 109, leads from a supply of compressed air, so that when the port in the valve registers with this recess the air will rush through the tube 102 and plunger 84 and blow the completed stopper from the screen, which forms the end of said plunger.

A. discharge-opening 116 is formed in the bottom of the trap 114, and a slide 117, provided with an opening 118, is reciprocatingly mounted in a stationary guideway 119, connected to the trap, the bottom of said guide-' way being formed by a movable plate 120,

which is forced upwardly by a spring 121 to press the slide tightly against the upper wall of the guideway, the plate 120 being provided near its front end with a dischargepipe 122. The slide 117 is reciprocated by means of a link 123, which is connected at its rear end to a link 12 1, provided with a strap which surrounds an eccentric 126 on the main shaft, and the front end of said link is connected to a bell-crank lever 127, which actuates the rod 128, that opens and closes the valves comprising part of the measuring device 4i.

' When theslide is in its rearward position, its opening 118 will aline with the opening 1 16, formed in the bottom of the trap, so that the water in the trap will pass into the opening in the slide, the slide being comparatively thick, so that the opening therein constitutesa cup. When the slide moves forwardly, its openin will register with the discharge-pipe 122, through which the water escapes, so that means is thus provided for carrying the water out of the trap 114.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Iiet; ters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, a

before perforated receptacle for receiving a quantity of pulp-water, a movable carrier on which said receptacle is mounted, a hollow member which receives the water that drains away from the pulp fiber, means for turning said receptacle over to deposit the wet pulp fiber at a certain point, dies which mold the pulp fiber into the form of -a stopper, and means for extracting all of the water from said pulp fiber; substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, a movable member carrying a plurality of oscillating perforated receptacles for receiving a quantity of pulp-water, means for collecting the water which drains away from the pulp fiber, means for oscillating said receptacles to discharge the pulp fiber therefrom, dies which mold the pulp fiber into predetermined form, and means for extracting all of the water from said pulp fiber; substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, a turn-table carrying a plurality of pivotallymounted perforated receptacles, means for moving said table intermittently, means for actuating said receptacles to discharge the contents thereof, dies for molding the pulp fiber into predetermined form, and means for extracting the water from said pulp fiber while it is being acted upon by said dies; substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described, a movable member provided with a plurality of pivotally-mounted perforated receptacles,

means for actuating said receptacles to discharge the contents thereof, and dies for molding the material discharged from said receptacles into predetermined form; substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, a

movable member provided with a plurality of pivotally-mounted perforated receptacles, a rack-bar for actuating said receptacles to discharge the contents thereof, and dies for molding the-material discharged from said receptacles into predetermined form; substantially as described.

"6. In a machine of the class described, a trough, a plunger reciprocatingly mounted in said trough, means for depositing a mass of wet pulp fiber in said trough, dies co6perat ing with said plunger to mold the pulp fiber into predetermined form, dies for thereafter acting on said pulp fiber to mold it into cylindrical form, and a movable member provided with dies into which the pulp fiber is forced to mold it into the form of a stopper; substantially as described.

7 In a machine of the class described, a trough for receiving a quantity of wet pulp fiber, a movable member having a solid face which closes the end of said trough and provided with a die adjacent said solid face, a plunger reciprocatingly mounted in said trough for pressing the pulp fiber, dies which thereafter act upon the fiber to mold it into cylindrical form, means for actuating said movable member to bring its die into alinement with the trough, and means for forcing the pulp fiber into the die in said member; substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the class described, a trough for receiving a quantity of pulp fiber, a plunger reciprocatingly mounted in said trough for acting upon said pulp fiber, molding-dies cooperating with said plunger to mold the pulp fiber into predetermined form, a member provided with a recess acting as a die, a hollow die mounted in the plunger, means for causing the water from the wet pulp fiber to be drawn through said hollow die by means of air-pressure, and means for moving said hollow die relatively to said plunger to force the pulp fiber into the recess of said member; substantially as described. 9. In a machine of the class described, a hollow support, a turn table rotatably mounted on said support and provided with a plurality of openings, and a plurality of buckets pivotally mounted on the turn-table over said openings and provided with perforated bottoms; substantially as described.

10. In a machine of theclass described, dies for molding a mass of wet pulp fiber into predetermined shape, a movable member turret provided with a plurality of openings provided with dies, means for forcing the pulp fiber into the dies of-said member to mold it into predetermined form, and means for subjecting the pulp fiber to an air-vacuum while it remains in the die of said member for extracting the water therefrom; substantially as described. v

11. In a machine of the class described, dies for molding a mass of wet pulp fiber into :a predetermined shape, a member provided with dies, means for forcing the pulp fiber. into the dies of said member, means for subj ecting the pulp fiber to an air-vacuum while it remains in said member, means for imparting an intermittent movement to said member, and means for ejecting the molded fiber from said member; substantially as described.

12. In a machine of the class described, dies for molding a mass of wet pulp fiber into a predetermined shape, means for supplying pulp fiber to said dies, a movable member I provided with a plurality of dies, means for forcing the pulp fiber into one of the dies of said member after it has been shaped by the dies first referred to, means for, actuating said movable member, and means forextracting the water from the pulp fiber before it leaves the die of said member; substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the class described, dies provided with concave faces for molding a mass of wet pulp fiber into the form" of a cylindrical block, an airvacuum for acting upon the pulp fiber while it is being molded by sald dies, a movable member provided with a plurality of tapered openings acting as said dies, means for forcing the cylindrical block of pulp fiber into one of the dies of said member, plungers mounted in said movable member in alinement with the tapered openings therein and provided with perforated ends, means for creating a vacuum in said plunger, and means for actuating said plungers to eject the molded pulp fiber from the dies of said movable member; substantially as described.

14, In a machine of the class described, a

movable member provided with a plurality of openings acting as dies, means for forcing pulp fiber into said openings, devices mounted in said movable member in alinement with said openings and provided with erforated ends which form the bottoms o said dies, each of said devices being providedwith a bore or passage-way, a valve which moves with said movable member, said valve being provided with ports which communicate with the bores of said devices, a stationary valve-seat provided on its inner face with a recess that registers with a number of the ports of said valve, and an air-vacuum pipe communicating with the recess of said'valve substantially as described.

15. In a machine of the class described, a

acting as dies, plungers mounted in the turretin alinement with said openings and having perforated ends which form the bottoms of said dies, each of said plungers being provided with a bore, a valve moving with the turret and provided with a plurality of ports, tubes communicating with said. ports and connected to the outer ends of said plungers, a stationary valve-seat provided on its inner face with a recess with which a number of the ports of said valve register simultaneously, an air-vacuum pipe I communicating with said recess, a second recess formed in the valve-seat and registering with but a single port of the valve at the same time, and an air-pressure pipe communicating with said last-named recess substantially as described.

16. In a machine of the class described, a die for acting on a mass of wet pulp fiber, an air-vacuum for extracting the water from said pulp fiber through said die, a trap into which the water drains, said trap being provided with an opening, a slide provided with an opening, and means for actuating said slide to move the opening therein into alinement with the opening of the trap; substantially as described.

17. In a machine of the class described. a die for acting on a mass of wet pulp fiber, an air-vacuum for extracting the water fmm said pulp fiber through said die, a tre into which the water drains, said trap being provided with an opening, a slide provided with die for acting on a mass of wet pulp fiber, an

air-vacuum for extracting the water from .said pulp fiber through said die, a trap into which the water drains, said trap being provided with an opening, a slide provided with an opening, a guideway in which the slide moves, a drain-pipe communicating with said guideway, and means for actuating said slide to cause its opening to aline with the opening in the trap and thereafter aline with the drain-pipe in the" guideway; substantially as described.

19. In a machine of the class described, a

die for acting on a mass of wet pulp fiber, an

air-vacuum for extracting the water from said pulp fiber through said die, a trap into which the water drains, said trap being provided with an opening in its bottom, a guideway carried by the trap, a slide mounted in said guideway and provided with an opening, a spring-pressed plate forming the bottom of said guideway and having a drain-pipe connected thereto, and means for reciprocating the slide; substantially as described.

20. In a machine of the class described, a turret provided with a plurality of recesses acting as dies, means for rotating said turret intermittently, a locking device for said turret, plungers mounted in said turret in alinement with said dies, and a stationary cam With which projections on said plungers engage during the movement of the turret; substantially as described.

21. In a machine of the class described, a turret having notches formed in its periphery and provided with a plurality of dies, an actuated lever provided with apawl which cooperates with the notches in said turret to impart movement thereto, a locking-dog for said turret, and means carried by said lever for moving the locking-dog into an inoperative position as said lever moves into position preparatory to feeding the turret forwardly; substantially as described.

' 22-. In a machine of the class described, a trough for receiving a quantity of liquid pulp fiber, a plunger mounted in said trough,

means cooperating with said plunger for compressing the pulp fiber, and means for causing the face of the pulp fiber which is acted upon by said plunger to be subjected to airpressure which causes the liquid to be forced out of the fiber; substantially as described.

23. In a machine of the class described, a trough for receiving liquid pulp fiber, a plunger mounted in said trough, dies cooperating with said plunger to compress the pulp fiber, a movable member normally closing one end of the trough and provided with a die, and a reciprocating member mounted in the plunger for forcing the pulp fiber into said die; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifiX my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of April, 1906.

RUDOLPH W. GOEB.

Witnesses: WELLs L. CHURCH,- GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

